Israeli Army announces several of Hezbollah's positions in Lebanon under attack

Israeli authorities said through a statement that the person arrested was a businessman with ties to Turkey, who participated in at least two meetings in Iran, and that possible plot targets included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

The arrest took place last month, the statement said.

In addition to the Israeli attacks Thursday, the Israeli army also reported that some fears had passed from Lebanon to Israeli territory.

The recent cross-border attacks followed the bursts of hand radios and communication equipment “pager” used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, which caused the killings of at least 32 people and the injuries of more than 3,000 on Tuesday and Wednesday. For these explosions, Hezbollah blamed Israel, which has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Thursday he had spoken on the phone with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin about the situation in the region, including Israel's “defense against Hezbollah threats”

The Pentagon said Secretary Austin reiterated the United States' steadfast support for Israel in the face of threats” from Iran, Hezbollah and other Iranian partners in the region.

<x) Said a Pentagon spokesman.

Device Explosions

The blasts of communications equipment “pager” and hand radios followed Israel's announcement that it was expanding the war targets against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, including the protection of northern Israel from Hezbollah's missile attacks.

But some former intelligence officials argue that the explosion of equipment “pager” of Hezbollah, hand radios and other equipment may be part of an Israeli effort to realise its goals without having to fight.

What Israel is trying to do is prevent Hezbollah from conducting attacks with 50-60 rockets a day, but not risking a broader”, Daniel Hoffman, former CIA official.

Mr. Hoffman told the Voice of America that the operation, allegedly conducted by Israel, may also have been an attempt to weaken Hezbollah's position in Lebanon.

It aims to distance Lebanon's citizens from Hezbollah”, He said. The message is, you shouldn't be near Hezbollah members.

Former CIA official Daniel Hoffman said that, given the capabilities of Israeli intelligence services, the possibility of operations on other types of Hezbollah equipment in the future cannot be ruled out.

Other former intelligence officials have suggested that the operation to blow up communication devices also gives Israel an advantage if tensions with Hezbollah escalate.

According to them, these blasts have at least weakened Hezbollah's ability to communicate in times of crisis and simultaneously remove key militants from the battlefield.

Hezbollah began using communications devices “pager”, as the leader of the group ordered members to stop using mobile phones amid concerns that Israel could spy and trace their communications.

Dr. Tania Baban, a doctor in Lebanon who works for the United States-based medical charity, “MedGlobal”, told Voice of America that her group performed more than 460 operations related to the wounds caused by equipment blasts “ <x2x3> on Tuesday, including fingerprints and hands.

Security experts in the Middle East and the United States told American media that they believe in some way Israeli agents traced equipment shipments “pager”, reaching to fill them with explosives before reaching Lebanon and distributed by Hezbollah.

Hsu Ching-Kang, founder of the company “Taiwan-based Gold Apollo” told reporters Wednesday that his company no longer produced “pager”, even though its logo was seen in the remains of explosive equipment that were examined on Tuesday.

He said the firm “Gold Apollo” had allowed its brand to be used in equipment produced and sold by a company called “BAC” with an address in Hungary's capital, Budapest.